N59TS

On June 13, 1999, at 1415 central daylight time, a Canadian Car & Foundry Harvard MK IV tail-wheel equipped airplane, N59TS, was substantially damaged when it nosed over during landing at the McKinney Municipal Airport near McKinney, Texas. The commercial pilot, sole occupant and owner of the airplane, received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The local flight originated from McKinney, Texas, at 1330.

The pilot stated in the enclosed Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2), that he was testing a new back-pack parachute, which placed him four inches farther forward in the seat than normal. In addition, there was a parachute buckle that was positioned under the 4-point restraint system buckle, adding 2 more inches to the pilot's girth. The pilot stated that the limited aft control stick movement "went unnoticed" during the preflight.

During a telephone interview conducted by the NTSB investigator-in-charge (IIC), the pilot stated that he had been practicing touch and go landings on runway 35 at McKinney Municipal Airport (TKI). The pilot stated that he extended his downwind leg due to traffic in the pattern ahead of him. He added that on final approach, he "kept power on the engine" to maintain airspeed for the extended final. The pilot stated that he was coming in a "little hot," and the airspeed was indicating 95 knots instead of the normal approach speed of 85 knots. The pilot stated that during the landing, he was unable to pull the control stick to its full aft position for a "stalled landing."

According to the pilot, the airplane touched down on the runway, and he started to retract the flaps. The right wing started to lift, and the nose pitched up. As the airplane started to "hop" to the right side of the runway, he added full power in an attempt to abort the landing. The airplane exited the right side of the runway into "muddy grass," and the pilot reduced power. The airplane contacted the bank of a drainage ditch located on the right side of the runway, nosed over, and came to rest inverted. A fire erupted, but was extinguished by a witness who responded to the accident site.

The FAA inspector reported structural damage to the rudder, the left wing, and the right main landing gear.

At 1354, the weather observation facility at TKI reported the wind from 320 degrees at 7 knots. The pilot reported the wind from the southwest at 12 knots gusting to 18 knots.

The pilot had accumulated 1,098 hours total flight time, of which 50 hours were in the same make and model as the accident airplane.